


The touched heart madly stirs

by amarena



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: A lot of nerdiness, Greek Gods AU, I suck at summaries please give this fic a chance, I'm extremely nervous, Let's play a game of guess which gods they are, M/M, Minhyun is also full of tattoos (mini spoiler), Minhyun is filthy rich, Prophecy, Rating May Change, Seongwoo is a bodyguard, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Some parts are based on Latin tales
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2020-10-26 04:37:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20736347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amarena/pseuds/amarena
Summary: Never would have Ong Seongwoo thought he'd fall in love with love itself (or well, himself).In which Seongwoo thinks he was hired by Minhyun to protect him, but oh, if only he knew the truth...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic started from a _sirius rises_ prompt (that I won't reveal for the time being, because it'd spoil too much about the future events), then it developed its own will and world. I redid it four times, it took over a year, and I'm still not completely satisfied, but I thought it couldn't hurt to start posting it and receive some feedback. Let me know what you think by all means! Thank you for giving this a chance ♡ (the title is a quote from a beautiful Robert Lowell poem)

The dragon landed on the ground and made it shake like an earthquake, Seongwoo nearly losing his balance. He looked around, nothing around him besides a thick darkness, much akin to black velvet draped over landscape. He was standing on a cliff alone, facing a massive dragon.

It was familiar, this nothingness, this feeling of complete loss.

The dragon roared and Seongwoo felt warm tears in his eyes, his cheek wet when he touched it, a glistening drop standing on his fingertips. It was like his body remembered it, but not his mind.

He tentatively raised his gaze towards the dragon. It was black, with shiny scales that looked as sharp as broken glass. It roared again, taking a step forward, claiming his whole, undivided attention. Seongwoo knew he had to be scared, but he couldn't help the feeling that the beast wanted to tell him something, it just didn't know how to. It had red eyes, thin pupils, and Seongwoo stared into them. They were so familiar too: fierce, but not harsh.

"What is it I forgot?" He wondered, just above a whisper, in between a question to himself and one to the dragon. He reached out, but he couldn't touch it: they were close, but not close enough. It must've meant something. Suddenly something caught his eye, a fiery orange light just at the corner of his vision. Where the dragon's heart must have been, underneath his scales, a fire erupted, crackling loudly. Seongwoo was taken aback: was the dragon hurting? But it didn't react. He looked back to its muzzle, but its eyes were closed now. Everything was black. It melted against the background and Seongwoo woke up all at once.

His bed felt foreign for a long moment, the darkness that shrouded his bedroom looked just like the dream setting. Slowly, he started making out the furniture around him and he exhaled a shaky breath. What was murky in the dream, was now perfectly clear to him.

_ What is it, I forgot? _ That it used to be a recurring dream, one he had for years when he was a child. It was a nightmare then, the dragon far too big and imposing not to scare him witless. It had haunted him every night; then, as suddenly as it had come to him, it disappeared. As he sat up and rubbed his face, he tried to remember how long ago it was. It must've been no less than ten years since he'd last dreamt of it. It had become so impairing to him that his grandmother, worried to death, had gone to a shaman. 

She'd come back ghastly pale and with a prophecy that sounded like garbage to his mother, but that his grandmother had made him commit to mind. "Don’t expect a human. A dragon will have Seongwoo, one that makes the gods tremble and brings fear even to hell and the dark realms.”   
  
His grandmother had taken it as a sign that the person Seongwoo would fall in love with was going to be a criminal, and things became even worse when he let her know that he had feelings for boys. Gangsters were much more often men than women, so there were infinite possibilities now for Seongwoo to be dragged into a life of crime and danger - nobody could convince his grandmother otherwise. His mother just rolled her eyes to infinity and beyond whenever his grandmother would start that talk.   
  
Seongwoo took a very deep breath and rolled onto his side, checking the time onto his phone. 5:11 AM. He groaned, thankful that he had an evening shift today or he’d have less than an hour of sleep left. He got up and opened his window more, taken aback by how sweet and warm the breeze felt, in the middle of winter. It felt like spring, all of a sudden. It must’ve been a warm passing current of air. Seongwoo stood there, basking in it for long minutes, wondering what the dreamt meant. Why did it feel like the dragon was trying to tell him something? Was that his subconscious, trying to communicate with him?   
  
Gosh, it was far too early for those philosophical questions, it was pitch dark outside, not even the edge of dawn peeking out of the horizon.   
  
He simply let himself plop back onto his bed and fell back asleep rather quickly. He didn’t make that dream again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You will definitely know it's Minhyun even if you've never seen him." Seongwoo furrowed his brows, unsure what the woman meant by it, as he looked around, faces all kind of blurring together. Until he spotted a little crowd around a young man and, at once, he knew what she was talking about.

Seongwoo helped Mrs. Go get off the car with the utmost care, almost marveling at how firm her cold hand felt around his forearm, her skin looking paper thin and her veins an intricate pattern of colorful cotton strands. There was something marvelous about her elegant elderness. She was still absolutely healthy and lively for her age, close to 80 as far as he knew, but her legs sometimes gave her troubles, refusing to sustain her. That's why she'd asked Seongwoo to be her partner for the night, a charity gala held in a too expensive hotel he'd never heard about. Actually, Mrs. Go's grandson worked in the very same bodyguard agency as Seongwoo, but the woman by her own admission 'liked Seongwoo way more'. "You don't want me to go to such an important event with a potato face like yours, right? Look at this handsome guy instead!" were her exact words to her grandson, that she'd made sure to tell in front of most of the agency, much to Seongwoo's embarrassment and his friend's shock.

It was a special occasion indeed, a very important charity event held yearly by some elite called Hwang Minhyun, part of that 1% apparently. Seongwoo would've had no other chance in his life to attend a party like this. It seemed something straight out of a movie. 

"Thank you, darling." She muttered, dedicating him a large smile that made the wrinkles by her eyes deepen and Seongwoo smiled in return, completely fond of her. "I'm sorry you had to come to such a beautiful party with me, instead of a young pretty lad." Seongwoo laughed out loud, patting her hand affectionately and he maneuvered her so she'd hold onto his arm instead. "Are you kidding me? There's no one else I'd rather be here with! Not even a young lad." He beamed at her and she accused him of being a liar, as they slowly walked on the thick red carpet at the entrance, towards the security by the hotel doors. She had no problem with him being gay. The biggest problem was that she always scanned her surroundings for a possible good match for him, but never found one, saying Seongwoo was too good-looking and too kind for anyone to deserve him.

"Here, Mrs. Go's invitation." He handed the elegant envelope to the men at the entrance, but they didn't even seem to need it, with the way they enthusiastically greeted her. "Is this your new boyfriend, ma'am?" One of them asked and Seongwoo replied with: "Of course!" before she could say anything. She playfully slapped his hand while chuckling, obviously satisfied with his answer, her eyes sparkling with amusement. The guards laughed as well, and wished them to have fun, Seongwoo bowing slightly in acknowledgment, before he supported her up the couple stairs to the lobby.

Once they arrived to the hotel hall, Seongwoo was blown away by the scale of the party. Everything was white and golden, arranged with perfect taste. The music was soft and lively, hushed by the murmuring crowd. Everyone passing by seemed to know Mrs. Go and they didn't hesitate to greet her shortly, eyeing Seongwoo curiously, but never asking questions. "We need to go greet the host, first and foremost, my child." She told him, squinting to spot him. The crowd was far too large for her to find him that easily even with perfect eyesight, though. "What does he look like? I can help you." "Oh, Seongwoo." She gave a sigh, and Seongwoo almost startled because by any mean it sounded like a dreamy one. "You will definitely know it's him even if you've never seen him." He furrowed his brows, unsure what she meant by it, as he looked around, faces all kind of blurring together. Until he spotted a little crowd around a young man and, at once, he knew what Mrs. Go was talking about.

Hwang Minhyun was by far the most handsome man Seongwoo had ever seen. There was something about him he couldn't quite put his finger on, a sort of glow that didn't have anything to do with his pale skin, but seemed more innate. His hair was black, middle-parted, his lips slightly pouty, his eyes fox-like, their cut looked like it'd been precisely drawn by a brush. He realized he'd been standing there, mesmerized, only when he heard a familiar chuckling by his side. "I take it as you've found him." Mrs. Go said and with how she was looking at Seongwoo, she knew everything already. He felt his ears getting warm and pulled her along as he carefully navigated his way to him. "His mother is an absolute beauty, it's no wonder he looks like that. But his warm heart makes him even more pleasant." She explained him, low enough only for him to hear. "Is he a good person?" "Oh, absolutely. He's nothing like his mother, she's a manipulative woman. She's found power but never changed her ways." Seongwoo hummed, halting for a moment as he waited for some people to walk by, before he resumed their adventure towards the young man treasured by Mrs. Go. "Ah, I think he'd be good enough for you. Yes, possibly. He'd probably deserve even someone as lovely as you." "Ah, Mrs. Go, please--" Seongwoo tried to stop her from praising him, always flustered by her high opinion. He was just a normal young man, with a few close friends, good at judo and hopelessly in love in poetry, who'd started as a bodyguard almost casually, to save enough money to study literature in college, and then had just opted to keep on working. There was nothing striking about him.

Thankfully they got to the host before Mrs. Go could start with the list of his supposed qualities and they waited some long seconds for the couple before them to move to the side. As soon as Hwang Minhyun recognized the elderly woman, his polite expression lit up and he happily stepped towards them, holding her hand with both his before she had time to say anything. "Mrs. Go, I'm so glad that you made it!" His eyes narrowed and his cheeks lifted up at his smile and Seongwoo knew instantly that everything the woman had said about him was true: there was no way someone could feign that kind of smile, the one that infects your eyes too. Seongwoo honestly was a bit wary about him - wouldn't it be difficult for someone so rich, someone grown up in that kind of effortless environment to a mother that actually had to be the epitome of ambitious, to actually be genuine? -, but now he started to see that maybe he hadn't fooled the old woman at all.

"Promise me you're going to leave as soon as you start to feel tired, though, okay? No partying all night long." "Aigoo, don't start with the nagging, love!" "Of course I have to nag, you like partying all too much." He teased her and the woman laughed heartily, admitting he knew her too well. Seongwoo wondered if he was supposed to leave them alone to catch up, but right in that moment Minhyun turned towards him and Seongwoo widened his eyes, unable to control his reaction, innerly groaning at the fact that Minhyun's first impression of him would be of a deer in the headlights. This guy seemed so perfect, he felt sort of intimidated. "I apologize I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Hwang Minhyun, it's really nice to meet Mrs. Go's boyfriend." Minhyun stretched his hand towards him with a warm smile and Seongwoo laughed, but was distracted by her hitting the young man on the shoulder before he could return the handshake.

"Not you too, you silly child!" She chastised him playfully. "This is Ong Seongwoo, he's a colleague of my grandson. He's an absolute pearl, so please treat him well." "Aigo, Mrs. Go...!" Seongwoo complained in a whisper, sending her a desperate look, before he hurried to hold his hand, bowing as well. Hwang Minhyun laughed at their antics, but he didn't let go of Seongwoo even as the other returned in a straight position. He observed his face, particularly his many moles, with a glint in his gaze and Seongwoo wrinkled his nose, not completely comfortable. "How beautiful. People usually don makeup, while you don a perfect constellation on your face." Seongwoo was so flustered this his eyes widened again and he blurted out: "Clearly I'm a superstar.". To his own surprise too, Minhyun burst out laughing at his terrible sense of humour. "You're more of a superstar than anyone else in this room!" He agreed, with the biggest smile on his face, his eyes almost disappeared in fond crescents, and he finally let go of Seongwoo's hand, who felt so warm he grabbed the chance to run away for a moment.

"I'll go get you something to drink, Mrs. Go. Would you like something too, Mr. Hwang?"

"Bubbles for me, darling." She replied, while Hwang Minhyun only shook his head. "I'm good, thank you. There are soft drinks too, so please get something for yourself too. Oh, and call me Minhyun. Mr. Hwang makes me feel old." With a short bow, Seongwoo left them and headed for the bar, but truthfully he didn't ask for drinks right away, he took a long moment by himself, looking at Mrs. Go talking to Minhyun from a distance.

He felt overwhelmed, dizzy, like Minhyun had the same effect of champagne, making him light-headed. When he looked and talked to you, he made it feel like he only knew you, like nothing else was important to him in that very moment. He was a very dangerous man, not for something he himself could do, but for the effect he had on others and what others could do to have his attention. Seongwoo himself felt like he wanted to talk to him more and that almost scared him: he'd never felt like that about anyone.

Almost on cue, even among the crowd, Minhyun found him and, they locked eyes. Minhyun's mouth curled into a smile, and it was unlike before, not polite, not enthusiastic. Just sweet. Breathless, Seongwoo returned it. Minhyun's grew larger then and he unwittingly rubbed his ear when he turned to Mrs. Go again and Seongwoo noticed the cartilage had turned red.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Your grandmother came to me because she was worried about you. She came for a... reading, they like to call it now. In my day, we used to call it a prophecy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The game of guess the god begins~ Also, please let me know if you're having troubles reading because of the format and if you'd like for me to spread out the dialogue lines!

Seongwoo was on his way back to Mrs. Go, a glass of fine wine in his hand. He’d clearly underestimated the size of the crowd at that party, he mused as he stopped and looked around, because he’d lost her: she wasn’t where he’d left her before, with Hwang Minhyun. On top of that, she was a petite woman and she was wearing a black dress, so she wouldn’t stick out. He grimaced.  
  


"Child." Seongwoo didn't know why, but he knew it was referred to him as soon as heard that, even if he had no reason to: the stranger didn't specifically call his name, nor he was familiar with that voice in any way. He felt summoned, somehow. He turned and saw an attractive man approaching him. He was maybe in his forties, Seongwoo had never been good at judging people's age, clad in a bright red suit that reminded him of flames and the sun, for some reason. He was looking at him curiously, like he knew him but didn't expect him to look like that. Seongwoo's impression was confirmed when the man walked closer and inspected his face, tilting his head first to the right and then the left. "May I help you...?" He wondered, a feeling of discomfort creeping up his spine. Sometimes people told him that he looked handsome, an opinion he didn't quite agree with (but that he'd learnt to feign to accept out of politeness), but generally nobody really had the nerve to outright stare at him for that long without saying anything. Added to the fact that this environment full of the rich and famous wasn't really his own, he felt like running away.

  
"I know your grandmother, I believe." The man started, his words combined with wide gestures that made the champagne in his glass sway dangerously. Seongwoo frowned, wondering how a man that looked so fancy could know his grandmother. She'd run all her life an extremely modest shop that sold snacks and stationery. "You may have mistaken me for someone else, sir... my grandmother really isn't--" "You're Ong Seongwoo, aren't you? A last name like that, I can't forget it easily." Seongwoo had to resort to all his self-control not to outright stare at the stranger with his mouth hung open. His last name was extremely rare, he was positive there were no other Ong in Seoul. "T-that's me. Yes. How do you know her...?" A triumphant light flashed in the other's eyes. "I knew it had to be you. Those moles on your face and those features." He looked so pleased with himself that Seongwoo grew more curious every second.   
  
  
The man took a sip of his drink before speaking again and Seongwoo became suddenly aware of how fast his heart was beating. "Your grandmother came to me because she was worried about you. She came for a... reading, they like to call it now. In my day, we used to call it a prophecy." Seongwoo's confusion just kept growing, a thousand questions crowding his mind. Someone who looked this refined and frequented the elite, was actually a shaman? Not only that, but he was the very shaman his grandmother had gone to when he was haunted by bad dreams, at least 15 years before. Wouldn't this man have been too young, back then...? Maybe it was just Seongwoo getting his age very wrong, it wouldn't have been the first time. It was all so weird though.   
  
  
He realized he was just staring at him with his eyes wide, looking once again like a fool, and he quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, I really didn't expect to meet someone who'd know my grandmother. Was it when I was younger and had bad dreams?" The man nodded, before he finished his drink and looked around, quickly settling his empty glass away and catching another from the tray of a waitress walking by.   
  
  
"Exactly that time. I believe she told you my response...?" The stranger leant closer, outright staring at him, and Seongwoo felt the words leaving his own mouth in a murmur. "Don’t expect a human, but a dragon who makes the gods tremble and brings fear even to hell and the dark realms." The man nodded countless times, "The evil dragon, cruel and merciless, who, with fire and iron, every man weakens.". Seongwoo swallowed: "I didn't know that part." "Oh? You didn't? I'm sure I told her though..." He held his chin with his free hand, his gaze wandering upwards, like he was trying to retrieve that memory. "But she got so scared, she looked so pale… she could've forgotten." He hummed, thoughtfully, before his attention quickly went back to Seongwoo.   
  
  
"The dreams did stop, though, didn't they?" "They did." Seongwoo nodded. But, before he could restrain himself: "I had it again last night, though." He would've slapped himself then and there for that slip of the tongue, because, as soon as he said it, the other's expression completely changed. He looked surprised, then, out of the blue, he started laughing - it made a shiver run down Seongwoo’s spine. "No wonder. You've grown up unharmed, probably more handsome than she could've ever imagined. And now you’re into his nest. There's no place where you could be safer and more in danger at the same time. What a fascinating turn of events." Seongwoo could just stare at him, none of the words made sense, like the man was suddenly speaking another language. “She…? A nest…?” He must've looked utterly lost, because that's how he felt, lips parted and wide eyes and a static noise buzzing in his ears, like his brain was just a TV that didn't quite work.   
  
  
He wanted to ask more, understand what he meant, but a hand wrapped around his elbow and the stranger's expression shifted once again. If he didn't know better, Seongwoo would've guessed there was fear in the sudden stiffness of his mouth and curve of his eyebrows. He looked to his side to see who it was who'd touched him and he found the very Hwang Minhyun there, a cordial expression on. His heart skipped a beat. "I hope Uncle isn't bothering you, he always talks a lot..." "He’s such a handsome child, Minhyun and you know I have a fondness for them. I couldn't miss my chance." The man said, lifting his hands up like he was claiming his innocence, when his words were anything but.   
  
  
Seongwoo could just blink, mentally kicking himself because he must've looked really dumb for the hundredth time this evening, while Minhyun laughed at his uncle. "Please don't scare him with that kind of talk." The heir asked of the man, but the latter just winked at Seongwoo before he turned and left, without adding anything, like the two of them shared a secret. Seongwoo was just too confused to understand what that secret was, though. He just kept looking at his retreating figure like it would make matters clearer.   
  
  
"...Seongwoo-ssi?" Minhyun called him, and by his look, he must've done it at least another couple times before, because there was some concern tainting his expression. "S-sorry, you were saying...?" Minhyun chuckled. "I'm sorry, my uncle is pretty weird, isn't he? You look really out of it... don't mind him, please." He gave a gentle squeeze to his forearm, like he wanted to reassure him.   
  
  
"I just came to tell you that Mrs. Go sat down." Minhyun pointed far to the left, in a corner with some fluffy chairs. "She said she was alright, but I insisted, she'd started to tremble a little." His nose wrinkled, worry plastered all over his face as he kept looking in her direction, and Seongwoo felt a pang of guilt. He'd been completely sidetracked by Minhyun's uncle (whoever he was, because he didn't even know his name) and even before that, he'd taken his sweet time at the bar, because being around Minhyun made him weirdly conscious. He'd been swayed by his feelings and his own personal matters and neglected the woman he had to take care of. He’d been unprofessional at best. "I'm extremely sorry I wasn't there." He bowed deeply to Minhyun and the other looked at him with his lips parted, completely taken aback. "Oh, please, it's no problem." His hands wrapped around him and he insisted for him to stand. "You had to come here for her drinks and then uncle probably started blabbing, there was no way for you to go back any quicker. She's safe, don't blame yourself." He gave such a warm smile that Seongwoo felt a tug in his chest.   
  
  
"I'm going now. Thank you so much, Mr. Hwang." "I told you, call me Minhyun, I hate being called Mr. Hwang." He laughed and Seongwoo scratched at the back of his neck. "Yes... Minhyun. Maybe I should get her a glass of water..." He muttered, more to himself than out in the open. "If you make her drink water, she will really feel unwell then. She only functions on champagne." Minhyun whispered, leaning closer and Seongwoo just looked at him for a moment, before they both burst out laughing, as if they were on cue. "Oh my God, I really should go..." Seongwoo snorted and Minhyun motioned for him to leave, his other hand covering his mouth, hiding his mirth, even if it showed in his wet eyes, curled into crescents and crinkling at the corners.   
  
  
Seongwoo had a bounce in his step as he reached Mrs. Go and offered her the glass of wine. "I told them it was for you and they picked the most expensive one!" Mrs. Go gave him a gentle slap on the arm, her habit when she was too pleased, and Seongwoo sat next to her, making his mission not leaving her again throughout the night.   
  
  
He wasn’t aware of the gaze that followed him, a presence in the crowd, heavy with perfume and rage.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His mother's sickly sweet aura was always so cloying it threatened to suffocate him. It suited her completely, for her existence was suffocating as well.

It was well past 2 AM, the party had been over for an hour now, and Minhyun stood on a side of the hall, helping a woman from the staff folding a large golden curtain, one of those they’d hung up before. She’d protested against it countless times, like him helping was blasphemous. He’d just scoffed and did it all the same. He felt his mother approaching behind him even before the woman across from him looked past his shoulder and hurriedly bowed - her sickly sweet aura was always so cloying it threatened to suffocate him.   
  
It suited her completely, for her existence was suffocating as well.   
  
“Mother.” He greeted, while he finished neatly folding the fabric and handed it out to the woman, offering her a smile, before she almost ran away. His mother had a terrible reputation, and that suited her as well, because it was just the truth. She was spoiled and easy to anger: nobody would stay for too long in her company, if they weren’t forced, or smitten by her looks. Even those grew unpleasant with time, though, paired with such a difficult personality.   
  
“Son~” came her voice, melodious and girlish and arms wrapped around his own left one, Minhyun’s expression unwavering. He looked nothing like he did at the party: his face was a frozen mask, no sign of warmth in the straight line of his thick lips. “It’s just like you helping these lowly beings tidying up. I wonder how you take pleasure from that, it’s so unnecessary and boring.” Minhyun’s disgust made his mouth twitch. “We take pleasures from very different things, Mother.” “Oh, not so different. Some of my weaknesses are yours as well.” She gave him a piercing glare, and only now Minhyun’s gaze landed on her, lazily, like he had no interest in looking at her, unlike most people. She was beautiful, with her blonde, long wavy hair, and her pale skin and her big eyes. But he was so sick of her machinations that just her presence was tiring.   
  
“What do you want?” He sighed, looking away, wishing he could just help with cleaning the tables instead, rather than this. She always wanted something and on this night, he dreaded that he knew what it was.   
  
“You saw him, right?” Her voice lost all of her sweet quality and he would’ve just laughed at how fake she was, if the situation wasn’t serious. “You know I did.” He replied, simply, his stomach churning. “Now you know exactly why I was worried about him when he was just a child. Only a baby, and already chosen by the stars. Instead my brother, that idiot, convinced me that something would happen to him for sure, that his face would get scarred… Look at him now!  _ Does his beautiful face look scarred to you?! _ ” Her voice became unbearably high and a dozen flute glasses standing on top of a tray just exploded, some people of the staff screaming at the suddenness. Minhyun couldn’t help scoffing, his mother’s real attitude surfacing.   
  
“Son.” She reached out, both hands cupping his face and making him turn towards her, bending his back a little. “In the name of the filial piety you owe me, by the sweet wounds of your arrows and the delicious burns of your flames, let me have my revenge on that brazen beauty and punish him.” Her voice was thicker than molasses now, and she peppered his cheeks with warm kisses. Minhyun’s mouth curled in distaste. He grabbed her shoulder and pushed her away, clicking his tongue.   
  
“Mother, the times I did anything for you are over. I brought wars on countries and misery on people, just because your desires were law for me. I am not a child anymore. Your kisses only  _ disgust  _ me now.” He peeled her hands off his face, letting go of her even as she tried to entwine their fingers together. She would always do this when he was younger: she gave him the tenderest of hugs, the most satisfying attention, she would praise him and kiss him. He remembered thinking he was the luckiest of children, the most loved. But it was always only to get something from him. Not anymore. He was better than that. He wanted to be.   
  
“No matter what you do, you can’t convince me to ruin him.” His tone was sharp, firm. He wouldn’t give in to her. Not this time, not ever again. Especially not about  _ him _ . He gave her the hollowest of smiles and turned his back onto her, walking towards the other side of the hall, where just a few people were left, storing away the leftover bottles of alcohol.   
  
“You know it, son. If you don’t punish him, I will. And you’ve always been much more compassionate than me.” She was raising her voice, and it echoed in the empty wide space, making it even more unpleasant. He curled his fingers, nails dipping into his palms, the pain helping him to control himself and not reply to her, not give her even an ounce of his attention.   
  
“Won’t you regret it, son?” She was outright taunting him now and he closed his eyes, tilting his head to the side, abruptly. On cue, a chandelier creaked only once, then it snapped off the ceiling, barely leaving his mother the chance to make one step back before it dropped on the floor with the loudest crash, right before her feet, crystal flying everywhere in balls and splinters and flakes.   
  
He could hear his mother’s shriek even in that mess and that produced the first genuine smile on his face from the moment she’d stepped into the hall.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so it really starts.

Nervous was an understatement for Seongwoo as he walked down the corridor, tension in his back, leading to a stiff walking that he was consciously trying to adjust at each step that brought him closer to Hwang Minhyun’s apartment.   
  
  
He’s received a call in the middle of the night, not completely unusual for his line of job, or his drunk friends asking him to join them. He’d picked up almost instantly, brain too sleepy to realize that the number on the display was unknown to him. He’d croaked an  _ Hello? _ in his thickest voice and jolted awake at the reply: that voice, he could never forget. He could recognize it even with his mind still muddy with dreams. It was Minhyun, asking for him to go over to his place for a  _ serious matter,  _ hurriedly pointing out that he’d pay him for the trouble. Even in his state, Seongwoo could perfectly tell something was off.   
  
  
By the time he got to the door, Seongwoo had no idea whether he was supposed to knock or ring the bell. It was past 3 AM, the bell noise seemed way too invasive, but at the same time he was sure that Hwang Minhyun was awake. He took a deep breath and knocked twice, confidently: he thought it was a good middle ground, it was loud enough to be heard even if nobody was in the door’s proximity, but not too loud. Almost instantly, the door was opened wide, taking him aback. It wasn't just the speed, truthfully, but the sight too. It had been just a couple weeks, but Seongwoo felt like his memory of this man had faded so much, compared to the reality standing in front of him.  
  
  
Hwang Minhyun was barefoot, the hem of his large black pajamas pants grazing his toes, a very expensive-looking silk robe, that looked much like a precious kimono, wrapped around his frame. It was dark blue and purple, small white flowers blooming irregularly on it, and Seongwoo could only think it looked as classy and pretty as him. It followed the angles of his build perfectly, like dark water flowing down his wide shoulders to the slight rise of his chest and then his narrower waist. He'd called himself an idiot for acting the way he did when he first met him, pretty much making a fool of himself with his wide eyes and pink cheeks, but now he was starkly reminded of the effect this man had on people. The godly hands that had molded Minhyun had taken their time with proportions and shades of beauty.  
  
  
Seongwoo bowed ninety-degrees, mostly to force himself to snap out of it. He saw the other mirroring his motion out of the corner of his eyes and straightened himself up. Just now he noticed how tired Minhyun looked, even with the smile that he forced himself to wear. His hair looked messy, and Seongwoo easily guessed he’d been rushedly pulled from bed. It made him look more real, compared to how other-wordly he was at the party, all suited up.  
  
  
"Please come in, Ong Seongwoo-ssi. I'm sorry for summoning you so late at night." He gestured for him to get in and, as soon as he'd closed the door behind him, he stretched his hand out. "We met--" Seongwoo interrupted him quickly: "Of course I remember you from the party, Mr. Hwang." He reassured him, smiling wide, but he shook his hand all the same. He was warm. Minhyun looked touched and Seongwoo found it weird: could people really forget about someone like this? "It's rather cold at this time of the night already." Minhyun commented when he rested his free hand on top of their joined ones, to donate Seongwoo's frozen fingers some extra warmth. Seongwoo smiled sheepishly as they exchanged a look, until a clear noise came from another room, thuds following one another, like a series of objects falling.   
  
  
Minhyun's face hardened as he looked over the other’s shoulder. Seongwoo tilted his head and found, with much surprise, a policeman standing there. He gestured he needed to ask Minhyun something and the man nodded, putting an end to their handshake. "As you can see it's an extraordinary situation. Would you mind if I leave you in the care of my secretary, Jaehwan?" "Oh no, absolutely. Don't worry." Minhyun left him with a polite smile and a little bow of the head and Seongwoo's gaze followed him to the officer, unwittingly frowning as he tried to read their lips while they spoke in soft voices and walked further in the apartment.

"Are you interested in the situation, or the boss?" came a voice from up close, amused, startling him, and Seongwoo turned quickly, finding a young man looking at him with a cheeky light in his eyes. "Excuse me?" He opted for feigning ignorance because the question was too much on point. The other kept staring at him like he had him all figured out and Seongwoo felt uneasy. "I'm Ong Seongwoo--" He started, trying to reach out for a proper introduction but the other turned his back on him with a _I know_ and motioned to follow him. "I'm Kim Jaehwan." He introduced himself nonchalantly as he guided him to the kitchen, deaf to Seongwoo uncomfortably remarking he still had his shoes on and so the bodyguard could only reluctantly chase him. He made him sit on one of the stools around the island.  
  
  
Letting a stranger into the kitchen, such a personal part of the house, was an odd choice. He found out the reason for that as time went by and the noises from the other side of the apartment didn't cease, nor Hwang Minhyun came back. The kitchen was the farthest room from whatever was happening: they were keeping him at a safe distance.  
  
  
Jaehwan didn't ask if he wanted anything, he just left him there telling him the boss would get to him as soon as possible. Seongwoo didn't miss the look of disgust the secretary sent in the direction of the living room as something else obviously fell and shattered, followed by a gasp, and Minhyun's low, reassuring voice.  
  
  
Seongwoo had no idea why he had been summoned there. He kept trying to peek, but there wasn't much he could pick up from so far. Until the rustling of clothes became clearer and Seongwoo perked up, stealing glances in that direction as discreetly as he could. Minhyun and the two officers were finally headed for the door.  
  
  
The policemen looked almost embarrassed with the way they spoke hushedly to each other and scratched their heads. Once Minhyun told them they'd worked hard and apologized for their wasted time, they looked contrite at best. When the door closed behind them, Seongwoo pretended he’d been staring at the marble top of the island the whole time.  
  
  
Minhyun shortly sat across from him, filling his whole vision — i t was still a bit of a shock, Seongwoo couldn't trust himself not to stare at him.  
  
  
He ran his hand through his hair, that in the meantime had grown even more disheveled, probably because of that very same repetitive motion. The belt of his silk robe was loosening up and the two halves at the front were slipping open, showing an expanse of perfectly milky white skin and the harsh red of a tattoo on the left side, still mostly covered. Seongwoo didn't manage to make out its shape with such a tiny hint. Minhyun seemed not to be aware of how he presented himself, nor of the other's attention, as he rested his arms on the counter and leant forward, the blue fabric stretching. Seongwoo had to will himself to look away, he didn't want to be fired even before hearing what the job was.  
  
  
Minhyun's smile was tired, but didn't lack any warmth and Seongwoo gave him a larger one, to try and gift him some energy back. "I want to apologize again for calling you at this time and making you wait." He bowed his head slightly and Seongwoo waved his hands. "You were very understandably busy." Minhyun sighed and tilted his head back, closing his eyes for a moment. "Will you make me a hot chocolate, Jaehwan?" "If I have to~" was the singsong reply of the other and Seongwoo blinked, taken aback: he'd completely missed the moment he came back. He had no idea how Minhyun could know he was around either.  
  
  
"I'll cut to the chase. The police came for a false warning." Seongwoo only nodded, Minhyun's now serious gaze being particularly heavy. "You could be aware that I'm the heir of a rather... influential family. It's no mystery in the environment that it's years my mother insists I get married and many women have mistaken her eagerness for my own, wrongly assuming that I had any interest in finding a partner." The dull noise of a china cup set on the counter interrupted his careful choice of words and despite Jaehwan's cheekiness, Seongwoo could notice there was some concern in the way he was looking at Minhyun. The latter seemed to read that perfectly and he gave a much brighter smile to him, patting the hand he’d used to carry the mug. Jaehwan clicked his tongue but had a hard time hiding a smile. "You can go, you know." "I know, I know~" Jaehwan gave an imperceptible nod of the head to Seongwoo, who hurried to greet him properly by straightening up a little and bowing, before he left the room.  
  
  
When his eyes went back to Minhyun, he found him happily slurping his hot chocolate with the satisfaction of a child. When he resumed his explanation, there was a much clearer sparkle in his expression. "There have been shy ones, insisting ones, absolutely inappropriate ones..." He snorted, probably recalling how ridiculous those situations had been. "The hardships of life are different, but it's been really unpleasant, Seongwoo-ssi. And that's fair, you can laugh!" Seongwoo widened his eyes, alarmed, because he did feel like laughing a little, picturing this man chased by hordes of women who wanted his inheritance and didn't consider marrying him such a sacrifice with how awfully handsome he was. He tilted his head down, scratching the back of it. "I'm so sorry."  
  
  
Minhyun chuckled, clearly in a far better mood now and when Seongwoo chanced a look, his eyes were still narrowed in amused crescents. "I know the situation sounds absurd. It is, definitely." He took a long sip of his chocolate, without even blowing on it, smacking his dark stained lips before he licked them clean, an action that somehow made it even easier for Seongwoo to understand why so many women had given wooing him at least one try. "Did one of them accuse you of something? Was that why the police was here?" Minhyun nodded at Seongwoo's wild guess, looking at him with such warmth it made Seongwoo feel like he was a genius. He felt embarrassed by how gratifying interacting with him was. He had a way of making you feel like you were special. It made something twist in Seongwoo's stomach.  
  
  
"I knew you were bright." He praised him and Seongwoo could only give a shy laugh, rubbing at his ear lobe out of habit. "Yes. One of them has been giving me a hard time. I suppose you can call her a stalker, by now. Tonight she called the police saying I'd kidnapped her, that she was locked in my bathroom and she'd somehow found a phone, that the police had to rescue her." There was darkness floating in his gaze, but with a blink, it disappeared.  
  
  
Seongwoo grimaced, the hilarity of the situation gone all at once. What if many of those unwanted suitors had behaved just like this? Minhyun didn't look like someone who liked complaining. He must've been really stressed and helpless, seen just as the mean to an end. Seongwoo felt guilty for mainly thinking of him as a beautiful man and not lingering more on his kindness or his thoughtful manners. "Do they know she's been giving you hell?" Seongwoo wondered and Minhyun nodded, staring at the bottom of his mug like it held answers and, all at once, he looked exhausted and lost. Seongwoo's arm, on its own will, wanted to reach out and touch Minhyun to give him some comfort, but he forced it still, muscles only twitching.  
  
  
"They know, but they had to come check anyway, of course. They looked really in discomfort as you could see. I'm sorry for causing troubles to them in the first place." "It isn't your fault though." Minhyun seemed to weigh his words before he looked back at him. "You mean that, but still, it's my responsibility she doesn't bother anyone else. That's why I called you." Seongwoo straightened up unwittingly on the stool. "I'm concerned she'll go even further. She could try attacking me or someone close to me. She could try coming into this house, hiding, or putting cameras, or stealing. There's a team that's been investigating on her, seeing if we can do something to help her condition. But I really... don't feel at ease on my own." "I'd be glad to offer my services, sir." Minhyun gave him a big, completely genuine smile and Seongwoo had to wet his dry lips. Being professional and objective around someone like Hwang Minhyun seemed... challenging.  
  
  
“For the time being, you’d be in charge of the night shift. There’s always someone with me during the day, but not here, at night. I’d want you to check every evening before I come back if anyone broke in, or if the place is tapped, or anything along that line.” Seongwoo nodded as Minhyun went on explaining, adding more details. “And you’d have to keep watch during the night. Sometimes Jaehwan is here, but it’s not often. With you here, I could rest without a worry.”  
  
  
Minhyun looked at him expectantly and Seongwoo nodded again, shifting from the stool in an upright stance and he politely bowed. “I’m honored you thought of me for the job. I will make sure your house is safe and won’t leave your side as you get your rest. Leave it to me, sir.” Minhyun hummed in reply and it felt like exhaustion had hit all at once, like he was so tired even uttering words cost him too much. He pronounced them slowly, tasting them, much like he'd done with the chocolate. “Then, it is set. Please stay by my side.” Seongwoo straightened up just in time to see Minhyun offering him a gentle look that, paired with his words, only confirmed his doubts: being professional around Hwang Minhyun could prove to be the real hardship in this job.


End file.
